Upon reading Josh Herrington’s article about the “student-run” Veishea protest and witnessing the “protest,” I have some thoughts. Veishea began in 1922 and was a celebration of ISU. This celebration has evolved into another reason for students to get wasted.

I would like to display Iowa State as a university with a beautiful campus and a solid student body. Not a campus filled with drunken, brawling and puking students.ÿ

As for the protest, Robert Deisz was quoted as saying, “The main point (of the protest) is the loss of student control, not alcohol.”ÿOne of the protesters was dressed as a giant beer can! If the aim of the protest was to regain student control, why was the alcohol image mysteriously pulled into the protest?ÿ

If the protesters just stood there with signs that said “Regain Student Control of Veishea,” people wouldn’t even have stopped to tell them their protest time was up.

However, if you stand around in a giant beer suit yelling at people, eventually you’ll lure people over to sign your petition, not because they particularly care, but just because you have the guts to stand around in a giant beer suit.

Student control of Veishea means beverage control. If students regain control of Veishea, it will continue with the usual events, but alcohol will be allowed and will become the main focus again. We’ll once again have to put up with drunken students representing this university.

I’m glad the decision has been made to keep Veishea dry, and if students want to responsibly retake control of it, I’m all for it. But leave the alcohol out of your protest.ÿI’m planning to have a good time over Veishea while representing Iowa State positively. I hope all of you will also.

Jonathan Haila

Freshman

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